Sophie Kinsella meets Jennifer Crusie in your next favorite romantic comedy, THE REAL DEAL!

April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on Craigslist since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family's summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the Craigslist ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL. 

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau -- the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

She only wanted to show her family once and for all that she had no need to settle down.

He didn’t expect to have the time of his life at her parent’s home.

They didn’t plan on loving every single second of the game.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?

April Hamilton is heading home to her family reunion on Wistful, Connecticut. But she needs a buffer to keep her matchmaking family from setting her up and attempting to woo her back home from Manhattan. She loves living in the city and pursuing her untraditional career that she has become successful at. When her male best friend bails on her, she has no choice but to hire a ringer.

Theo Banks comes recommended by her friend. He is a bartender and man-for-hire. He will gladly play any type of boyfriend she needs for a small fee. He has his reasons for needing to earn money and this job can certainly help him get free of his debts.

He is not a gigolo, and he has rules not to get involved with clients. And April is not in the market for a real boyfriend as she has her own trust issues and is on a "man break". But from the beginning they have a spark, a connection, and fun rapport. They can improv stories of their fake relationship, fantasies, and they get along well. And as they spend more time together, the physical attraction keeps growing. But they are in the middle of a reunion full of nosy family members.

As the group plays games, Theo and April's games become more serious and the stakes keep rising. April is sweet, smart, funny, feisty, and kind. Theo is charming, intelligent, resourceful, and caring. There is real attraction, real liking, and jealousy all mixed up in their fake dating story. Pretend kisses are turning real. Lines are getting blurred. I loved seeing them get pushed out of their comfort zones, and realize that they might be getting a bit too attached than they are supposed to.

But they are really from two different worlds where she is from a happy privileged family and he is not. Theo has a past that he is not proud of, and is afraid of being vulnerable and risking both the job and losing April. But her biggest issue is being lied to, so the longer he keeps his mouth shut, the more he risks looking bad. 

It is all a bit confusing especially for April to determine what is real and what is fake. Theo is great at thinking on his feet and making her feel special. But he is holding back and eventually it is all going to come out. Will she just see him as another male liar or will he be able to convince her of his real intentions?

This is a humorous, sweet, and swoony fake-to-real-relationship story with quirky characters, secrets, and a bit of mystery. It is told in dual points of view which is critical since Theo is slower to reveal his secrets. Their banter is witty, fast-paced, and fun. This couple is easy to like and relate to. I enjoyed the time spent with her family and all the crazy reunion shenanigans. But at the heart of this story were two people who really needed to find a true connection, but were both afraid of looking for it and not sure how to keep it once they did.

I received this book for free from the author and netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

April can’t face her family reunion single. The problem isn’t so much going home alone as it is the small town blind dates her family will set her up on if she does. She has avoided men of late, focusing instead on her big city career, a career no one in her family quite understands. She is finally almost where she wants to be, but the obligatory trip home could make going for her dream job difficult if her family guilts her for her singleness (as they are wont to do).

Theo works as a bartender full time, but acts as a date for hire on the side. He’s got his own set of rules and it has never failed him. Though it isn’t what he loves, the side gig helps him be able to help his brother pay off a debt without cutting into either of their responsibilities.

April needed help to get through her family reunion. Theo needed on more gig to help his brother. Neither expected anything more than the deal they had struck.

I loved watching these two fake their relationship and suddenly find themselves stuck in feelings. It was a little on the insta-side of love, but with all the struggles they fought to avoid the feelings, I found myself thoroughly entertained by the whole premise.

As a whole, this was a fun, sweet, easy read. The fake relationship added an “is-it-real” aspect to everything that Theo and April did during their time together, especially since they were so good at concocting the stories her family wanted to hear. Their fake romance was almost as good as their real one!

I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

https://laurenblakely.com/readers-choice-giveaway/